Follow You Anywhere
by Stef
Summary: AU. Sequel to 'Summer Sleepwalk'. Gabriel and Elle come across a ghost from Gabriel's past while outrunning a devil in the present. Will there be a future?
1. He doesn't believe in ghosts

**Follow You Anywhere**

_Before we start, I'd just like to mention: this is a direct sequel to Summer Sleepwalk. You can read this on its own if you like, but I doubt it will make much sense. Same warnings apply: AU, language, violence, character death, sex, etc. That being said, please enjoy. _

**Prologue – **

Elle hates this. She squeezes her eyes shut and tries not to scream as she feels the ground beneath her shake. When she feels Gabriel's comforting hand cover hers she relaxes, though only a little. She still refuses to open her eyes.

"If you were going to keep your eyes closed the entire time, you could have given me the window seat." Gabriel tells her.

She shakes her head, cracks her eyes open. "If I can't look out the window from time to time I tend to flip out." Her fingers curl around Gabriel's as the plane ascends. "Once the plane is in the air, I'm alright." She pauses for a moment before adding: "Well, mostly."

Gabriel tries to calm her a bit more. He brings their intertwined hands up and kisses Elle's fingers. "You'll be fine, kid."

She smiles weakly, nods. Elle feels much different since her first kill. She wants to talk to him about it, but a crowded airplane probably isn't the best place. She voices another concern instead.

"Do you think Hawaii is a good idea?"

"Sure it is." He squeezes her hand a little, as if to warn her to not to go into too much detail. "It's what you wanted, isn't it?"

Elle nods.

"You can have whatever you like."

She can't help but smile, self-satisfied. Gabriel lets her have her way so much more easily than her dead Daddy ever would have. Last time she went to Hawaii, she had to beg her dead Daddy for weeks. She only mentioned it to Gabriel in passing when they first met and he seemed more than happy to take her there. Gabriel was so good at being Daddy. Elle feels almost grateful for the first time in a very long time.

"I'm just worried that-"

"Shh." His grip tightens further. "I'll figure something out."

Letting the subject drop until they're off the plane, Elle tries to get comfortable in the rigid seat. She thinks of how even a week ago, she'd never have imagined herself on the run with a serial killer after shooting a cop. She remembers the confrontation in her dead Daddy's condo, shooting Bennet, demanding proof from Gabriel he was sincere.

She still thinks it's all a little creepy that he obsessed over her for four years. Who keeps a newspaper clipping in their wallet for that long? He had never even talked to her. How would he know that he'd still want her after meeting her? At the same time, Elle feels a little bad that she can't even remember him from that night. Surely, she'd have at least noticed him; Elle was in the prime of her boy-obsession at the time. She lays her head on his shoulder, imagines what he must've looked like back then.

"Will you tell me about that night?" She asks, assuming he knows what she means.

He shifts a little, getting comfortable against her. "What night?"

"You know… when you first saw me." Elle says quietly. "_That_ night."

He feels like they're being watched. When Gabriel looks at their reflection in Elle's window, he notices someone pretending to read a SkyMall brochure: a woman about his age. She's tall, blonde, and _alive_. Strange, considering he killed her on that night four years ago.

Deciding that it's a coincidence, he ignores her. There are plenty of tall, blonde women out there. His memory must be playing a trick on him, he internally reasons. Besides, he doesn't believe in ghosts.

"Gabriel?" Elle nudges him. "Are you still in there?"

Gabriel snaps out of it, giving Elle a reassuring smile. "Sorry, I was thinking."

"About me?" Elle asks. She inches closer to him, resting her hand on his thigh.

"Of course," he lies easily enough.

Elle tilts her head, not exactly believing him. She tries to peek around his body, wanting to see what he's so distracted by. Elle doesn't like it when Gabriel's attention isn't focused solely on her. She pinches the inside of his leg, hard. She wants to make him mad, get him excited, or hurt him- anything to get a reaction. Anything to make him see she's still there. He looks so far away. Elle wonders if it's another girl Gabriel is thinking about. She pinches him again.

Gabriel squirms slightly. "Will you stop that?" he whispers. "We can't be drawing attention to ourselves."

She only frowns. "I want you to tell me." It's easy for her to say. Elle doesn't ask for things. She announces what she wants. It's been this way since Mama died. Her dead Daddy was never good at pacifying her. Maybe if he loved her more? Tried more? He always said she looked too much like her mother. He always said it was a problem. He always drank too much. When her dead Daddy drank, he wasn't bothered so much by how she looked. And it was easier to get her way. Elle knows things won't be so hard with Gabriel. He _wants_ to give her things.

Gabriel occupies Elle's pinching fingers in his big hand. When he feels her fingers finally stop, he rests his hand atop hers on the armrest. "Okay".

**=-=-=-=**

_This is only the first chapter in what will probably be at least as long as its predecessor, Summer Sleepwalk. In the next part I'll have a flashback story of how Gabriel first saw Elle. Also included? Gabriel's first kill. If you like the story, please take a moment to review and tell me your thoughts. I love to have input on what I write. Thanks :)_


	2. What's wrong, kid?

Working as a waiter for a catering company certainly wasn't the most dignified of ways to pay off student loans, but Gabriel was trying. It's not like there were engineering firms lining up at his door, begging to hire him. Most people with engineering degrees ended up being teachers anyway, and he hated kids. At least working as a waiter had the perk of stealing leftover food at the end of the night- something Mother never approved of.

"Stealing is stealing, Gabriel. Whether someone wants it or not," Virginia told her son one evening. Since then, he kept his stolen leftovers a secret. It was just going to get thrown away anyway. And besides, the caterers had all the best desserts: cannolis, tiramisu, endless cakes, and countless pies. It might have been stealing in the sense that he didn't pay for it, but if no one wanted it he considered it fair game. His mother considered _him_ a Convenient Catholic.

To spite her, he stole her Christmas gift instead of paying for it. Every time he saw that stupid snow globe it felt like a tiny victory against Mother. He wanted to wait for the perfect time to tell her it was stolen… maybe her birthday.

One particular evening, Gabriel found himself in the lobby of a large building. He forgot what the business was; office supplies of something like that. Either way, there was a party going on in the main conference room. He was running late so he had yet to change. He really needed this, yet at the same time Gabriel couldn't help but think of it as pointless and mundane. There were far more interesting things he'd rather be doing with his time. So absorbed was he in trying to come up with said things, he didn't notice the girl in the elevator with him until she began to cry.

Mother had told him once that angels sometimes come to Earth in disguise and feign injuries to test the goodness in people. Gabriel thought that was a crock, but he couldn't help but notice how angelic this girl looked- all runny make-up aside. She was small, tiny even. Her head barely came up to his shoulder. The overall tightness of her white dress showed off her thin frame. She had some curves to her, but given how young she looked he could tell there was a bit of maturing she had left to go. She was easy on the eyes, he decided. Nothing too fancy, but certainly not a plain Jane, either.

He just wanted to get off the elevator. Gabriel never considered himself the greatest shoulder to cry on. Anytime he brought up his father, Mother would always begin to sob and lock herself in her bedroom to probably pray.

"Hey, mister." The blond girl's voice managed to get his attention. Her voice sounded raw. She must've been crying for a while.

Gabriel nodded. No one had ever called him 'mister' before. This girl couldn't be that much younger than him. The fact that she called him 'mister' was a kind of insult to him. He decided to insult her back, vaguely. "What's wrong, kid?"

She almost seemed to smile. "Do you have a tissue on you? I'm sure I look like Hell."

Gabriel thought it wise not to agree with her. He dug into his corduroy pants for the pack of travel tissues he always carried around. He found them handy, as he was forever wiping his hands free of grease or oil from working on any of his watches or clocks. He fancied himself a collector. Mother called him obsessed. Upon seeing the grateful look in the girl's blue eyes, Gabriel gave himself another point in the ongoing Me Versus Mother game.

"Thank you…" her voice trailed off, inviting Gabriel to introduce himself.

He caught on quick enough. He didn't want this angel to confuse him for another bespectacled, sweater vest-clad, about-to-be-fired caterer. If he was getting Heaven credits, he wanted to make sure they went into the right account. "Gabriel. Gabriel Gray."

"Gabriel," the girl tested his name out on her tongue. "Hey, like the angel." The way she said it made it sound halfway between a taunt and a flirt.

He figured she couldn't be flirting, so he immediately abandoned all thoughts of trying to be smooth with her. Besides, who hit on crying women? "Sure." He answered. "Like the angel."

"I'm Elle." She told him. "Bishop."

He knew the name instantly. Elle Bishop, daughter of Robert. The Bishop family owned the building the party was in. The Bishops were wealthy and powerful; they pretty much ran half of the city. Gabriel instantly hated how insignificant he felt. "So I assume the party upstairs is for you?"

Elle rolled her eyes and shrugged. "Kinda." She cracked her knuckles, continuing. "Daddy's throwing me some stupid debutante ball or whatever. Pretty little Elle-Belle entering society and stuff. To be honest, I didn't even want this stupid party. He's _making_ me do it."

"And that's why you're crying?" Gabriel asked, feeling better about himself for not offering to comfort her.

"I'm not crying because of that." Elle said. "I'm crying because my Mama isn't here. She died a few months back and she was always so perfect. When she died, Daddy got so cold. He drinks a lot, he won't look at me." Elle sniffled a little. "He gets so mean and I-"

Gabriel felt an unfamiliar rage boil under his skin. "Did he hit you, Elle?" He didn't understand why he suddenly became so protective of the girl.

Elle shook her head. "He hasn't hit me." She sighed, leaning her head back against the cool steel of the elevator car. "Sometimes I wish he would. It might be better. He'd be paying attention to me, then."

"It could be worse." Gabriel told her. "He could pay too much attention to you, like my Mother does to me."

Elle looked up at Gabriel. "Sounds like we have similar issues."

Gabriel shrugged. He never considered his ongoing problems with Mother "issues". He could also understand how someone from the outside might see them that way, though.

Elle smiled slowly, walked the distance separating them. "We're the same." Gabriel had no idea how to react. He stood frozen while Elle's tiny arms wrapped themselves around his waist. She rested her head against his chest and heaved a sigh. "Thank you," she whispered. "I've never had someone just listen to me." She squeezed him lightly. "It feels good."

He wasn't sure if she meant hugging him or having him listen. Either way it felt good to him, too. Gabriel had no idea what to do next, so he felt more than relief when the elevator bell sounded and Elle abruptly let go of him.

"Guess I should head back out there." Elle said, disappointment in her voice. "Will I see you again?"

"I'm not sure." Gabriel told her honestly. He really hoped so.

Elle nodded. "If I do, I promise I won't cry."

=-=-=-=

"Okay, back up." Elle says.

"What?"

"I don't remember _any_ of this happening." Elle eyes Gabriel suspiciously. "Did you just cook that up to try and calm me down?"

Gabriel thrums his fingers on his armrest. He understands that she doesn't believe him. He does have a rather bad habit of lying to her, but this is all truth! "I'm nowhere near done."

"It still doesn't change that I have no recollection of any of this happening." Elle argues. "I think I'd remember hugging a dorky stranger in an elevator."

"Dorky!?" Gabriel whispers, trying to contain himself. "You think I'm dorky?"

"Well, you said you were wearing a sweater vest. Pair that with those glasses of yours and you've got a really dorky-looking individual."

"That doesn't make me dorky." Gabriel defends his old wardrobe.

Elle says the word that puts the final nail in Gabriel's couture coffin. "Corduroys."

He doesn't want to admit that Elle is right, so he just looks away. The blond woman is still there, still watching them. Still reminding Gabriel of that night. "Look, I'll tell you the rest later. I can't exactly say the rest of this in a public place."

Elle only nods. She figures he's just buying time to make more shit up, but at the same time, she's curious where he's going with this little fairy tale of his. She wants to hear where the Big Bad Wolf came from. She wants to hear all about herself from Gabriel's point of view. Mostly she wants to know why she can't remember a thing from that night aside from Adam and Daddy carrying her upstairs and putting her to bed.

"How much longer do you think 'til we get to Hawaii?" Elle asks, rubbing her head against Gabriel's shoulder.

"At least six more hours." He tells her. "You can take a nap if you want."

Elle shakes her head. She doesn't want to go to sleep. She always misses the good stuff when she's sleeping. "No, I can stay up. I was just wondering." She turns her head slightly to eye the bathroom.

"Don't even think about it." Gabriel warns her.

"What?" Elle asks innocently.

"We're not going in the bathroom."

Elle pouts. "But I miss you, Daddy." She runs a hand down his chest, toward his lap. She knows how to get her way with him.

"Elle." Gabriel grips her wandering hand before it reaches its intended destination. She bites her bottom lip at him, testing his control. He whispers to her "Good girls are rewarded for their patience."

She's on her best behavior for the rest of the plane ride.


	3. I bet you like Hawaiian shirts

When the plane lands, Elle manages to remain calm. The only noise she makes is an alarmed squeak when the plane's wheels hit the runway upon landing. Clearly, she expects Gabriel to make good on his earlier promise. The couple exits the aircraft and are greeted upon leaving the airport with the typical tourist-friendly hula girls with leis. Gabriel takes his off almost as soon as it's put around his neck. With a single pout from Elle, he has it back on. The blond woman only glances in heir direction once, when they climb into their cab.

"I feel stupid." He confesses once they're on the road. He doesn't mention the woman seemingly following them to Elle. He's sure it's nothing. Unless it's not.

"It's not stupid. It's fun!" Elle says. She's far more excited than he is as far as floral necklaces go. "And it's kitschy. You _love_ kitschy."

Gabriel's eyes narrow. "Just because I like hot rods and surf music doesn't make me a fan of kitsch."

"Doesn't it?" Elle challenges. "I bet you like Hawaiian shirts and ugly old man hats."

Gabriel doesn't deny it; but he doesn't confirm it, either. There's no way Elle is winning this argument. "I hope the hotel's okay." He says, changing the subject instead. "I really feel like lying down."

Elle shrugs. She's used to fancier places than the Marriot. "It was a long plane ride. I could use a nap."

They reach the hotel without incident. Gabriel tips the driver (though not more than the customary amount) and they head into the lobby. They tell the desk clerk they want to stay under the names Archie and Edith Bunker. They get a room beachside, on the fifth floor. The second they make it inside the room, Elle flops onto the bed and rolls around, her lei ruined.

"It feels so good to lie down!" She sighs, kicking off her heels.

Gabriel stands at the foot of the bed, watching Elle enjoy the room. "Are you happy, kid?"

Elle sits up and bites her bottom lip. "Yes I am."

He bends over and kisses her forehead. "I told you good girls are rewarded for their patience."

"I was very good." Elle says, reaching for his belt.

Gabriel straightens up and rests a hand on top of Elle's head. "Yes you were."

"On my best behavior, even." She continues, unbuckles Gabriel's belt and slides his pants down his legs. She closes her eyes and revels in the attention he's giving her; both of his big hands carding through her soft blond hair. She almost feels bad about what she's going to do, but she needs to hear the rest. Elle looks up adoringly at Gabriel- her Big Bad Wolf, her Daddy. "Gabriel?" she asks, her voice tiny, like she's trying so hard to sound innocent.

"What is it?" His voice is thick, his eyes dark with lust.

"You said you'd tell me the rest of what happened that night…" Elle gives him a flirty pout and bats her eyes at him.

Of course he's putty in her hands. Hiding his sexual frustration as best he can, he sits beside her on the bed. He tries to think of a good way to continue, hands never leaving Elle's hair as he does so.

=-=-=-=

"You show up an hour late, you're not even dressed for work, and all you can say is 'Forgive me'?" Monica screamed. She looked ridiculous, shouting at him in a white dress shirt with a pink tie and matching pink vest. "Where were you, anyway?"

Gabriel balled his hands into fists. "I got lost, the building is so huge and I had no idea-"

"No idea?" Monica interrupted him. "Honey, there is a map in the foyer when you walk in. I can't use 'lost' as a reason to fire you tonight. We're working short enough as it is." She shoved a spare shirt and tie at him. "You'll be working the appetizer trays. Mess up again, and you're gone. You hear me, Gabe?"

Gabriel nodded at his boss and headed to the men's bathroom to change. He hated this job. He hated the stuffy parties, hated the stupid uniform, and he hated how stupid little Monica could make him feel. She was like a tiny version of his Mother. He needed something different. He needed a change. A drastic one.

In the bathroom, he overheard two men talking. He couldn't see them, but he could hear everything. They never stopped their conversation, so they must not have heard him come in. Gabriel listened while trying to change his clothing as quietly as possible.

"All I'm sayin' is this: if she becomes a problem an' starts actin' up- as we both know she can an' will do… I slip 'er one a' these. She calms right down. Forgets the whole thing. You get to save some much-needed face. Am I right?"

"What's in it for you? You'd never come to me with something as simple as helping me with my crazy kid. What's your angle, Munroe?"

"No angle 'ere, Mister B. Just a friend 'elpin' a friend."

"Sounds more like a friend helping himself to his friend's daughter."

"She's not my type, if ya catch my meanin' there. I'm jus' sayin' if she sees somethin' she won't like, who's to say she won' over-reack?"

"You mean Niki?"

"No, I mean the bloody Pope, of course I mean Niki. If she sees you wi' a woman young enough to be her sister, you think she won' cause a scene? An' so close after her mummy's unfortunate _accident_…"

"I get it. You want to be paid then, is that it?"

"More'n that. I wan' me own place. An' I wan' it for free. I wan' a car. An' I wan' an allowance. All the luxuries your precious Niki gets. Any man who can afford one expensive pet can surely afford two, yeah? "

Taking the silence as his cue to try and leave, Gabriel managed to do just that. He slipped out of the bathroom, the bizarre conversation lingering in the back of his head. Rich people were fucked up.

Gabriel got into the conference room turned ballroom with the party in full swing. The room was full of teenage girls dressed in expensive gowns, dancing with stuffy-looking boys and sometimes their fathers. He tried to keep an eye out for Elle, but there were too many blond girls with up-dos for him to find her. It would have been nice to see a friendly face in the crowd.

His hands grew tired. Gabriel really hated being on appetizers. It meant holding that stupid, heavy tray all night long. He enjoyed working with his hands, though carrying around a platter with tiny sandwiches hardly qualified. Gabriel watched the clock instead. It was a minute and five seconds off, but he wasn't about to wear his antique Sylar watch to work. It was bad enough it already had a crack in it from Mother throwing it against the wall. He doubted it would survive one night of champagne getting spilled on it, or food getting smeared on it, or God only knows what else.

When the clock rang nine, Gabriel hastily headed for the elevator. He was allowed one break and he was in a hurry to get off the floor. He needed air desperately so he headed for the roof, since it was closer than going all the way back down to the street. Besides, there was a lesser chance of him overhearing anything else scandalous or weird if he headed for the more secluded option of the roof.

Gabriel wasn't the only one who thought the roof was a good idea. Standing by the edge was a tall, blond woman smoking a cigarette. He decided to steer clear of her. Gabriel hated the smell of smoke.

Smoke reminded him of his father. His father left the house to buy cigarettes one afternoon and never came back. Mother wept for days. Good riddance, Gabriel thought. His old man was a prick anyway. Still, he wondered from time to time where Dad went. He supposed anywhere was better than being holed up with his fanatical mother and his own unremarkably mundane self. He'd probably have left, too. Maybe.

The blond woman turned when she felt another presence on the roof. She smiled like a predator- walked like one, too. She was dressed in simple elegance: a black cocktail dress and matching heels. On her neck she wore a string of pearls. She pulled another cigarette out of her clutch and nodded to Gabriel.

"I'm Niki. You got a light?"

Gabriel shook his head. "Gabriel. And I don't smoke. Sorry."

She laughed hollowly. "Don't be. It's a death wish." She looked him up and down. "I miss anything exciting at that lame party?"

Gabriel shook his head again. He felt stupid in his catering clothes. Again. He decided his next job wouldn't require any sort of uniform. "You see one debutante ball, you see them all, right?"

Niki shrugged. "I wouldn't know. Too rich for my blood."

"You're working the party, too then?" She didn't look like she was with the catering company.

"You could say that." She told him. "You know Bob Bishop?"

"Not personally." Gabriel admitted.

"He's kind of my boyfriend or whatever." She seemed awfully nonchalant about the whole arrangement. "I'm here as moral support, but his daughter can't stand me, so I came up here to enjoy myself." She eyed Gabriel purposefully. "Wanna have some fun?"

"I don't really think that it's-"

Niki cut him off by kissing him hard. It was sloppy and not at all reciprocated. All Gabriel could taste on her was smoke and whiskey. He thought of his Mother for a brief moment, how she warned him against women like Niki. How women like her could only lead him down a path of sin and damnation.

He pushed her away, surprised when she swung her arm to punch him. Gabriel backed away from Niki, toward the ledge over the conference room's awning. He'd read enough comic books to entertain the idea, but he was rooted firmly enough in reality to not even think of chancing it.

"You think you're too good for me, pretty boy?" Niki taunted him, a completely difference person than she was seconds before. "I'm tired of fucking dirty old men!"

When Niki swung again, Gabriel grabbed her fist. "Niki, stop this. You're over reacting."

"I am not. Niki." She replied. She tried to wrench her hand free, but to no avail. Gabriel was far stronger than he looked. "My name is Jessica!"

She seemed more like a crazy bitch to him, but Gabriel decided to keep his mouth shut. She tried to kick his shins, but he was too fast for her. He spun their bodies so she had her back facing the edge of the roof. She readied her fists for him one more time, swinging wildly. Gabriel dodged her completely, grabbing at her neck in an attempt to stop her.

She shoved at him, the sheer force sending her backwards and off the ledge. Gabriel reached for her in an attempt to keep her from falling; only managing to snatch her necklace away. He heard nothing but the sound of pearls hitting the roof as they slid from the string. Niki fell to her death, landing on the balcony of the conference room- much to the shock of the partygoers.

Gabriel chose not to stick around. He pocketed the few pearls he took from the necklace and rode the elevator all the way back down to the party. He saw Elle again, briefly. She was being ushered into the elevator as he was stepping out of it. On one side of Elle was her father. An impeccably dressed dirty blond man flanked her on the other side. He seemed to be holding her up. Gabriel couldn't disguise the look of concern on his face.

"She's 'ad a bit too much t'drink, mate." The blond man explained. Something seemed wrong. Gabriel disliked him instantly.

"I guess so." Gabriel replied. He had one last look at Elle's sleeping face before the elevator doors shut between them. He looked up at the numbers over the elevator and watched as the seventh floor lit up. A hand grabbed his shoulder from behind and spun him completely around. He came face to face with Monica.

"Where in Heaven's name have you been, Gabriel?" She asked, stress and worry marring her young face.

"On break downstairs." Gabriel nodded toward the elevator. He pretended to try and see what was going on over at the balcony behind Monica's head. "What's going on?"

"A woman fell from the roof, through the awning, and impaled herself on the iron fence out on the balcony. It's a terrible mess." Monica closed her eyes. "The poor thing." She silently prayed for Niki. Or Jessica.

"So I guess the party's over?" Gabriel ventured a guess. He touched the pearls in his pocket.

Monica nodded. "We gonna clean up, then we're done for the night."

Gabriel looked impatient. "Can I leave early?"

Monica cocked her head to the side. "Are you really asking me that after showing up late?"

"It's my Mother's birthday." Gabriel pressed his palms together and looked pleadingly at Monica. "She's all alone since Dad left and I know she'll be depressed if I don't spend it with her."

"I guess you can go early." Monica said, eyes rolling. "Any boy that loves his Mama that much deserves some kinda medal."

He was already in the elevator by the time Monica finished her sentence. "Thanks!"

Gabriel impatiently pushed the button for the seventh floor and tapped his foot the entire ride down. Once on the desired floor, Gabriel tried to track down the two men that carried Elle out of the party. He made it to the parking garage in time to watch a black Cadillac drive its way down to the street.

=-=-=-=

"So you're saying my dead Daddy and Adam drugged me?"

Gabriel nods. "That's how it looked to me. Their conversation in the bathroom certainly didn't help matters any. Also explains why you wouldn't remember anything from that night aside from going to bed."

"Huh." Elle says as she lies back on the bed. She's having a hard time believing that one. Why would her dead Daddy do that? Or Adam for that matter? Adam liked her. Right? "So Niki really _didn't_ commit suicide," she says, pretends like she was contemplating the death of her replacement. In a way she's a little grateful for that. She looks at Gabriel's still-sitting form and rubs her bare foot up and down the center of his back. "Thank you." It feels weird; having those words leave her mouth.

"'Thank you' for what?" Gabriel asks; his head turned to study Elle's toes creeping over his shoulder.

"For getting rid of Niki, silly."

He wants to tell her that he's being haunted. He doesn't know why he'd only start seeing Niki's ghost now. It makes no sense to him at all unless it had to do with him finally having Elle. It's the only reason he can come up with and he feels a little stupid, but he decides to tell her anyway.

"I'm not so sure I got rid of her." His head sinks when he feels Elle's foot slide down his back. He feels the bed dip beside him as Elle scoots herself next to him. "I've been seeing her around. On the plane. In the airport."

"And you're only telling me this now?" Elle demands.

"I thought you'd think I was crazy or something." Gabriel says, feeling stupid. "Sane people don't see ghosts."

"First of all, I don't think either of us are exactly certifiably sane." Elle assures him. "Second, you're probably seeing her twin sister, Tracy. Niki was one of three triplets." Why the Hell did he wait so long to tell her?!

"So why would she be following us?" Gabriel asks.

Elle rolls her eyes. "Well for one thing, she's FBI."

He opens his mouth to suggest leaving when an urgent knocking on the door interrupts him.


	4. Get your ass in the car, Mama's Boy

Before Gabriel can stop Elle from heading for the door, she's got it wide open. The bellhop on the other side pretends not to notice the fact that Gabriel's pants are halfway down his legs.

"What the Hell do you want, this is kind of important." Elle informs the hotel employee while jerking her thumb back toward Gabriel.

"I-I just wanted to drop off your bags, miss," the nervous young man replies. He doesn't bother holding his hand out for a tip. Elle seems irritated enough with him.

Elle peers around the doorway, noting their baggage. "Oh!" She smiles at the bellhop and steps aside, allowing him to drop off the luggage. "Thanks for dropping by, uh…" she squints at his gold nametag for a second "…Barry."

Gabriel's eyes narrow at Barry. "You can go now."

Barry wastes no time getting the Hell out of there. Once he's gone, Elle shuts and locks the door. She turns to face Gabriel, hands on her hips. She's angry, he thinks. He moves to pull his pants up since he's not about to get yelled at with no pants on. He's got his dignity, after all.

"Oh no you don't," Elle says, crossing the room. She swats Gabriel's hands away from his belt and shoves him backward on the bed. "You still haven't made good on your promise to me from the plane." She watches his face as he realizes what she means.

Gabriel reaches out and pulls her on top of him, relishing in Elle's change in expression from irritation to satisfaction. He loves letting Elle get her way, loves even more when he's instrumental in it happening. He lets her straddle his hips, brings her face down to his with both of his hands. "Is this a good start?" he asks before kissing her.

Elle's eyes slide shut and her little pink tongue slips out as she lets Gabriel kiss her. She sighs at the feeling of his big, safe hands cradling her face against his. She loves his closeness, his attention. He's so possessive of her, even when she's sure he doesn't realize it. She feels his tongue slide against hers, making her sigh. "It is," Elle whispers, her hands pushing Gabriel's shirt up.

He sits up and helps Elle remove his shirt. He then moves Elle off of him, onto the bed. She stares up at him, bottom lip between her teeth. He's looking at her like he's going to eat her alive. She loves how scary he can be, the thrill it gives her. "Ooh, what are you going to do to me?"

Gabriel only responds by taking Elle's knees in his hands and spreading her legs open. His hands slide up the insides of her thighs, pushing her sundress up over her hips. "No panties?" He notices.

Elle blushes and looks away. She likes playing coy for him. She's pretty sure he gets off on it. "Oh no, really? I had a feeling I was forgetting something."

Gabriel shakes his head and pulls the dress up, off of Elle and on to the floor. Her bra joins the dress seconds later. Gabriel takes a moment to appreciate Elle's naked body under his. "So beautiful," he says before kissing her again. He palms one of her breasts, squeezing it slightly. When Elle's back arches he does it again while kissing down her neck to her collarbone. Gabriel finally gets the hint when Elle guides his head to her other breast. With Gabriel's hands and mouth busy, Elle manages to reach and pull his boxers down his legs. Gabriel kicks them off and they join the pile of clothes on the floor.

Elle positions herself on her side, Gabriel adjusting his body to stay with hers. When his teeth graze her nipple, Elle can't help but moan her appreciation. He just knows how to do _everything_ right. She grabs lightly at Gabriel's hair and guides his head lower, rolling herself onto her back.

He situates himself between Elle's legs and kisses the inside of her thigh, teasingly. Elle's hips buck and she tries to push Gabriel's face down, but he's quicker than she is and manages to dodge her demanding hands. "Just relax, kid," he tells her. "You'll enjoy it more." He ignores her needy little whining noise, nips gently where he kissed her a moment before.

Elle gasps, a sound that seems to encourage Gabriel to gently bite her other thigh. "Not too ha- _ahhh_- ard!" She looks down where Gabriel has just bitten- certainly not hard enough to bruise, but a small red circle forming was proof enough he was there- proof enough she's his. Elle notes the dark, possessive look in Gabriel's eyes and forgoes lecturing him on keeping her skin flawless.

Gabriel admires the mark he's left on Elle for a second before kissing it softly. He feels her legs close slightly- out of reflex; out of need- he's not sure which. Gabriel rests his hands on the insides of Elle's thighs and pushes her legs open again. When she tries to close them around his neck he holds her legs roughly against the bed, spread as wide as he can manage.

Before Elle can think, Gabriel's tongue is on her clit. She sighs at the feeling of the muscle working its way against her sex. Gabriel's breath comes in short puffs, further warming the fire between Elle's legs. Possessed by the sensations, Elle grabs at Gabriel's head. It feels so good she wants to keep him between her thighs forever.

Not one to let himself stay trapped, Gabriel rests one shoulder against Elle's thigh. He removes Elle's hands from his head and pins her wrists together with one of his big hands. The maneuver brings his face closer between Elle's thighs; something she was trying to accomplish anyway. Never pausing in his oral attentions, Gabriel laps at Elle's cunt more aggressively.

Elle throws her head back against the bed, hands grabbing at nothing, pinned together in Gabriel's big hand. Her body twitches and spasms, directly a result of Gabriel's powerful hands and skilled tongue. Elle's sure she's never felt anything so good. "Oh my God," she whimpers.

"Close enough," Gabriel murmurs, letting go of Elle's wrists. He kneels and spreads Elle's legs further apart. Impatient, Elle sits up and takes Gabriel's erection into her tiny hand. She pumps his cock a few times, loving the blissful face she causes him to make. She pulls his head down to hers and kisses him hard and sloppy.

Gabriel uses the sheer power of his larger body to force Elle onto her back. He hears her make a tiny noise of protest when her busy hand is moved from its job, but Gabriel has a better idea. He positions himself at Elle's wetness and eases himself inside. Still grabby, Elle reaches for Gabriel and pulls his body over hers tightly. To further reinforce her hold on him, Elle wraps both her legs around Gabriel's waist. "You ain't getting away this time," she teases him breathlessly.

Unable to resist any longer, Gabriel drives himself in and out of Elle's welcoming warmth. He doesn't restrain himself in the force of his thrusts, causing Elle to moan and cry out from the mixed sensations of pain and pleasure. Further encouraged when he hears Elle beg him to fuck her harder, Gabriel changes the angle a bit. He removes Elle's legs from around his waist and pins her down, her ankles on either side of her head. When she tries to reach for him again, he grabs her forearms and holds them down the bed. "You move when I fucking tell you," he growls, secretly enjoying the surprised look on Elle's face.

Eager to comply with Gabriel's wishes, Elle remains still. She doesn't try to grab at him again, even when he removes one of his hands from her bruising forearm. She gasps a little at the newly added feeling of Gabriel's fingers rubbing her clit in tiny, insistent circles. Before she's even aware she's coming, Elle whimpers Gabriel's name. She feels her muscles contract and flutter around Gabriel's cock and soon, she feels the warm stickiness for his release inside her. Spent, Gabriel collapses on top of Elle's much smaller form and sighs, content for the moment. He presses his sweaty forehead against hers and slides his member out, twitching slightly. When he rolls onto his back, Elle immediately curls her body against his.

"God, I feel so much better," she announces.

Gabriel barely nods, but manages a tired grunt of agreement.

"I wonder though…" she trails off.

"Hmm?" Gabriel asks, already falling asleep.

"If she's FBI and following us, that Tracy woman? It can't be for the murders. It's way too soon." Elle rubs her fingers through Gabriel's chest hair, contemplating. "Maybe she's just trying to find out about her sister."

"Either way," Gabriel pauses to yawn, "Whatever she wants, I'll take care of it."

"You'll keep me safe?" Elle asks.

"Always, little girl," Gabriel promises, exhausted.

Elle sighs, content. "I love you, Daddy." The only response she gets is Gabriel's soft snoring.

Elle wakes in the early evening to find not only the bed empty, but the hotel room as well. "Gabriel?"

When he doesn't respond, Elle figures he must've gone to get her something to eat. She takes a long, hot shower and gets dressed. She keeps herself busy by unpacking their clothes and re-making the bed. Still no Gabriel. Wherever he went, he better come back with food, Elle decides. She sits on the bed, turns the TV on, and waits.

Gabriel frowns behind the wheel of his rental car. There isn't a single respectable Italian restaurant anywhere on this stupid island. He passes another Olive Garden before giving up and turning back for the hotel. He'd rather eat over-priced room service than give his money to _that_ place. He doesn't want to go back empty handed, so he pulls into the convenience store by the hotel to get Elle something sweet. Unfortunately most of the candy bars are melty and he doesn't want to put anything gummy in his mouth. Gabriel's about to give up until his eyes finally settle on the prize.

"That cup big enough?" The clerk asks while ringing up the gargantuan slushy drink.

Gabriel shrugs. "It's not for me. My girlfriend likes these." He remembers Elle drinking several Slush-Os while they were at the airport, waiting for their plane. He pays for the drink, leaving the leftover change with the clerk. On his way out of the store, Gabriel is shocked to see Tracy waiting by his rental car.

Tracy smiles cruelly and folds her arms. "Gabriel Gray."

Gabriel stops and reaches for the pistol tucked into the back of his pants, under his shirt.

"I'm not here for a fight," Tracy says. She looks anything but sincere. "I just want to talk."

"You followed me all the way to Hawaii just to talk?" Gabriel asks, unconvinced.

"I did," Tracy lies.

Gabriel scans the empty parking lot. "Who sent you?"

Tracy shrugs and crosses the distance separating them. "Does it matter? You're in enough trouble with enough people."

"Of course it matters," Gabriel says while backing away from Tracy. He stops when his back hits the wall of the store. Tracy's triumphant smirk confirms the suspicion she's not here 'just to talk'. He drops the Slush-O on the ground and swings his arm at her.

Tracy catches it easily, trained as an expert in hand-to-hand combat. She twists Gabriel's arm behind his back and cuffs him with confidence. Tracy then grabs the gun from the back of Gabriel's pants and digs it into his back.

"Get your ass in the car, Mama's boy," Tracy commands. "We're gonna go pick up your little girlfriend."


	5. Daddy always liked you

Waiting for Gabriel starts wearing on Elle. She's watched all that's worth watching on the hotel's On Demand service. She takes to pacing the room, deciding how she'll go about scolding mean Gabriel for leaving her all alone for so long. Unfortunately for Elle, she runs out of ideas and decides to entertain herself with the mini-bar instead. She attempts to open the tiny refrigerator twice before she realizes the lock on it. Gabriel had the keys to the room. "Damn it," Elle curses. "This shitty hotel better have a bar downstairs." She grabs her purse and leaves the room.

She makes it into the bar as Gabriel enters the hotel with Tracy behind him.

x-x-x-x-x

Gabriel fails to notice Elle's thin frame as he enters the hotel lobby, Tracy right behind him. The cool metal of the gun digs deeper into his back when he falters.

"No stalling," Tracy demands.

"I'm trying to remember which room is mine," Gabriel tries to convince her. He feels her dig into his back pocket, then sees the room key in front of his face. He goes to make a grab for it, but remembers his hands are cuffed behind his back. "Although I suppose the room number is written right on it."

"Just get me to the room," Tracy says, tucking the room key into her shirt pocket. "I need to chat with your little girlfriend." She doesn't see the dark look that takes over Gabriel's face.

He slowly leads Tracy up the stairs and past the ice and snack machines. They ride the elevator in silence until they reach the correct floor. Gabriel stops in front of the room and nods to the door. "Go ahead. Open it," he dares Tracy. "I'm sure Elle is waiting for me." He _hopes_ Elle is waiting for him. This definitely would have been Elle's chance to escape him, seeing as they hadn't been apart since he revealed he had killed her father. If she had a change of heart, it would have been the perfect time for her to get away from him. Gabriel hated to think of what he would have to do if that were the case.

Tracy slides the keycard into the slot under the knob and watches the little green light flash before entering the room. Gabriel follows her in, the silence in the room not a good sign to him at all. He watches Tracy overturn the room, looking for places Elle could hide. _She's not there. She's really not there._ Gabriel can't hear anything but ringing in his ears and Tracy's drowned-out voice demanding to know where he's hiding her.

The cuffs around Gabriel's hands make a tinny clanking noise as his hands ball up into tight fists and shake with uncontrolled rage. _She fucking left. _He sees Tracy stomp over to him, her face red and angry. She really is ugly when she's mad. Just like Nikki was. Or Jessica. She's yelling, he can't hear her. She shoves at Gabriel once, sending him backwards a few steps. He doesn't try to regain his balance, but his body seems to automatically right itself.

Gabriel's eyes narrow as he studies Tracy's sour expression. She's so mad she's almost crying. Gabriel's really good at making girls cry. When Tracy comes closer to him a second time, her gun pointed at him, Gabriel reacts. He lifts his leg and knees her hard in the stomach. Tracy falls to the floor, the gun skidding under the bed. Tracy manages to crawl halfway under the bed to retrieve it, until Gabriel steps on the backs of one of her knees. He can't hear her screaming, but he can feel it in the floor. He smirks. It's been a little while since he's killed a woman.

He pushes the bed away with his other foot, exposing Tracy's fruitless efforts to reclaim the gun. He steps off of her leg and kneels to the floor. Gabriel manages to kick the gun away from Tracy so it rests behind him, far from the blond woman's reach. "Stupid bitch," he says cruelly. "You've just locked yourself in a room with a fucking serial killer."

Tracy's eyes go wide for a moment. She knew this man's name was Gabriel Gray, a few of his past jobs, his schooling, even where he grew up. She had no idea, however, that he was a serial killer. If it wasn't part of the file she was given, he must be a really good one. She was here for Elle, to bring her home, to clean her mess. Arthur Petrelli owed Bob Bishop a favor, apparently. He didn't get into it with her. He just wanted Tracy to fix Elle's mistakes and make everything normal again. Crooked FBI agents were good at making bad things seem like they never happened- like dead cops.

Tracy tries to stand herself up, but the pain in her knee is far too intense. She ends up collapsing back onto the floor before trying to push herself away. Gabriel watches her, amusement on his face. He lies on his side and brings his hands to his feet. He twists himself in a serpentine manner as his hands are brought from behind his back to in front of his waist. He grabs the gun and eyes Tracy sliding toward the door. Gabriel sighs and shakes his head.

"Tracy, Tracy," Gabriel teases. He sees her pathetic form freeze, even as she's right by the door. Almost safe, almost free.

"H-how do you know my name?"

Gabriel crosses the room and grabs her by the hair with one hand. He drags her all the way back to the sliding glass door and pushes it open. Tracy kicks most of the way there, tries to hang onto the door frame of the slider, but it just hurts her hands too much. He's so much stronger than he looks. The cheap cement job is rough, and her legs and knees have tiny cuts on them. She looks up at Gabriel, his face obscured by the sun behind him. "Tell me. Tell me how you know my name!" She grabs at his legs and claws at him.

Gabriel's cuffed hand closes around Tracy's. "Let's just say I'm an acquaintance of your sister's."

"But Barbra-"

"Oh no," Gabriel says, laughing slightly. "Not Barbra."

"Niki," Tracy whispers. "You?"

Gabriel leans down and grabs Tracy around her neck. "Me." He's thankful for the darkness and the fact that no one goes to Hawaii to stay at the Marriot. He lifts the already choking Tracy by her neck and tosses her over the balcony at an angle. He doesn't need people knocking on his door, asking why a woman jumped out of his window. Gabriel only lingers for a second- to hear the satisfying squishing, crunching noise Tracy makes as she hits the pavement.

He pushes the bed back into its original position, then rights a few picture frames on the walls. He tucks the gun down the front of his pants and pulls his shirt over it, hoping it doesn't look too obvious. After triple-checking everything to see if Elle left him a note, Gabriel's back out the door and on his way to the lobby.

x-x-x-x-x

Elle sighs and stirs her drink with the brightly colored straw. Did Gabriel ditch her? She knew she could be a pest sometimes and maybe a little spoiled, but he knew that going into this relationship. Maybe she didn't kill the way he liked, but she could totally work on that. She was just a rookie, after all. Things like murder must have a learning curve. He's just being stupid about it.

…Unless it wasn't murder at all. Maybe Gabriel hated how she was in bed. She might not be the most experienced girl in the world (and Old Daddy had called her a "very young twenty"), but she knew how sex worked and what guys liked. Gabriel had never complained about anything, but maybe he was just being nice to her. God, men just can't come out and say anything!

If he was seriously hurt he definitely couldn't say anything. What if he got into an accident while he was out buying her a surprise engagement ring? Or maybe he fell asleep while driving and went off a cliff? He's always too sleepy after sex, he shouldn't have been driving! Hopefully he didn't die in a more embarrassing or stupid way. Hopefully he didn't die trying to reach something on a high shelf and have a hammer fall on his head. Oh, poor Gabriel…

Elle takes another sip of her Scorpion Bowl For Two and promises herself she won't cry over stupid, sexy, dead Gabriel while she's in public. She slides off her barstool and leaves enough for her drink and a tip before heading back out toward the lobby. When she sees Gabriel coming down the stairs she can't help but run to him.

Gabriel's murderous rage ebbs slightly when Elle's skinny arms encircle his waist. She hadn't left after all. He wants to stroke her hair, but settles for kissing the top of her head. "Tracy's dead," he whispers into her hair. "We need to leave Hawaii."

Elle's relieved Gabriel took care of their little problem. He's so good at fixing things. "Do we have to leave so soon?" Elle pouts, a little disappointed.

Gabriel heads for the parking lot, knowing Elle will be right on his heels. "I'll take you somewhere nicer next time, kid."

Elle frowns, but keeps up with Gabriel's long pacing anyway. "There's nowhere nicer than Hawaii."

He stalks over to their rental car and gets in the passenger's side anyway. "Take us to the airport. We're leaving."

She fishes the keys out of her purse and gives Gabriel a dirty look before unlocking the car. Elle says nothing as she tucks herself into the car and starts the engine. She doesn't even bother letting Gabriel get his door closed before she peels out of the parking lot.

"Are you trying to kill me!?" Gabriel shouts, finally managing to get the door closed. He really needed to do something about the handcuffs before they got onto the plane. There was no way he was going to be able to get through a metal detector.

Still angry about having to leave, Elle only looks ahead at the road. Surely the silent treatment will make Gabriel rethink leaving Hawaii. She was supposed to get her way no matter what, yet here she was doing what _he_ wanted. She supposes she really does love the bastard.

"Now you're not going to talk to me?" Gabriel asks. "Fine, have it your way." He tries to fold his arms, but the cuffs prevent that from happening. Gabriel feels a little ridiculous when he hears Elle snicker at him. He settles for rolling his eyes and watching the road as they make their way to the airport.

Once they arrive, Elle nods to Gabriel's cuffed hands. "What are we gonna do about those," she asks. "They're not very subtle." She parks the car in the reserved parking area, knowing full well the car will be towed the second they leave it. Among all the foreign luxury cars, their rental Camry sticks out like a pair of bad shoes.

Gabriel shrugs. "I've never been handcuffed. Short of breaking my wrists, I have no idea how to get them off."

Elle shakes her head. "We're stuck here, I guess." She tries not to smile.

Gabriel eyes a well-dressed, well-to-do looking man exit a Mercedes SUV. The man adjusts his cufflinks and takes off his sunglasses. Gabriel could almost laugh at the convenience of the situation. He turns to Elle and nudges her with his elbow. "Hey, you remember this guy, right?"

Elle does a triple take before she realizes who the man Gabriel is trying to show her is. She immediately exits the car, beaming. "Oh my God, Adam!" Elle runs through the parking lot and practically launches herself at the tall blond man.

Gabriel doesn't realize his hands are so tightly clenched until he feels his fingernails threaten to tear into his palms. He examines the dark red half-moon indents in the skin before getting out of the car and joining Elle and her father's old acquaintance.

"Elle, you've gotten so big. An' so lovely," Adam says after hugging her a little too long for Gabriel's liking.

Elle ducks her head and tries not to blush. "You look exactly the same. What are you doing in Hawaii?"

"I live 'ere most of the year," Adam explains. He eyes Gabriel warily, as if trying to figure out where he's seen him before. Gabriel only nods curtly at him. "Adam Monroe," Adam says by way of greeting and offers his hand to shake Gabriel's.

Gabriel holds up his cuffed wrists. "Zane Taylor."

Elle stalls for a moment, unsure of how Gabriel wants her to act. He raises his eyebrows at her and shrugs. "Sorry again about losing the key, Elle." He sounds a little goofy, but Elle knows Gabriel is simply playing a part for Adam.

Elle catches on and rolls her eyes. "We were fooling around last night and Zane the Brain here misplaced the key to my handcuffs," she tells Adam with a disgusted look. "Virgins," she says to drive her seeming discontent with "Zane" a bit further.

Adam enjoys the improvised story and even shoves Gabriel's shoulder a little while laughing at his expense. "Couldn't 'andle 'er, eh mate?"

Gabriel twitches- either at the unwanted physical contact, or Adam's overdone, obviously fake accent. Possibly both. "Yes, well… Elle is probably more woman than anyone can handle."

Elle preens. "Oh Zaney, stop it." She tugs on Adam's hand and then settles herself against his side. "Where are you off to, Adam?"

Gabriel hates the way Elle says Adam's name. It sounds too familiar in her mouth, like she's said it as breathlessly as she's said _his_ name. Gabriel immediately dislikes Adam. He also dislikes the way Adam's dainty hands stroke Elle's ribs, a little to close to the swell of her breast.

"Well, I was going to take me plane into TJ before 'eadin' back to New York. Seems your old man 'ad left me a few trinkets. Sorry 'bout the loss by the way." Adam doesn't look sorry at all.

Elle lets her eyes gloss over. Fake tears threaten to spill as she pats the hand not curled around her side. "Thank you. O-" she stops herself from calling Bob 'Old Daddy'. "Daddy always liked you, you know."

Gabriel clears his throat. "Hey, since you have your own plane and all, do you mind letting us fly with you? At least until Mexico?"

Adam looks Gabriel's form over before deciding if he's a threat or not. What harm could possibly arise from letting sweet little Elle-Belle and some idiot she had a fling with hitch a ride to Tijuana? "I don' see why not? It'll give us a chance to play catch up with the Bishop Princess."

Elle giggles girlishly and skips away from Adam before his sneaky little hand can reach its intended destination. She slips her arms around Gabriel's neck and winks at him. "Maybe we can do something about your hands, too." Gabriel only shrugs. He knows his voice will betray any lie he can prepare. He wants to kill Adam for being so flirty with _his_ Elle. The fact that the slimy prick dared to touch her in such a familiar manner right in front of him only makes it seem more justified.

"I bet _I_ know what 'e want t'do wit' 'is 'ands," Adam suggests, leering at Elle's backside.

Gabriel narrows his eyes. "Interesting accent. What part of England are you from?"

"Let's get to th' plane, shall we?" Adam says, avoiding Gabriel's question. He leads the way to the tarmac by his plane, Elle and a fuming Gabriel not far behind.


	6. Be prepared to get your hands dirty

Elle keeps her eyes clenched shut for the duration of the take off. The rumbling of the tires and the bumpy runway do little to ease her anxiety. Her fingers wrap around Gabriel's tightly enough for him to hiss. Once the plane doesn't feel like it's at an angle anymore, Elle hazards a look out the window. Upon seeing the world beneath her, she feels her stomach lurch and her eyes start to flutter shut. She grabs at Gabriel's shirt and rests her sweaty forehead against his chest.

Gabriel awkwardly attempts to put his arms around Elle. With his hands cuffed together, his mobility is severely limited. He manages to let Elle slide herself under his raised arms, settling against his chest. He lowers his cuffed hands, resting them at the small of her back.

"Ooh," Elle says, a shiver running through her body. "Those cuffs are cold."

"Sorry, kid," Gabriel apologizes lowly in her ear. He represses a smirk when Elle shivers again.

Adam adjusts his seating position across from the pair and settles his glass of scotch on the accommodating armrest. "I can turn th' heat up for you, love," he tells Elle's rear end.

"It's okay. I'm sweating enough as it is. Flying always makes me anxious. I'll be fine in a little while," Elle says, the 'little while' being when they finally land.

"Fancy a drink?" Adam asks, rising from his seat to saunter to the full bar. He pours himself another scotch. "I can make anythin' y'want."

Elle shakes her head. "If I drink on a flight, it only makes it worse."

She watches Adam stroll about the plane like it's no big deal. How can he be so fucking comfortable this far off the ground? The plane could crash at any minute and he acts like he's in his living room. Elle has never been afraid of dying if it was her time. If it's the _pilot's time_, however… she clutches Gabriel tighter, tries to chase the thought away.

Adam looks as if he's about to make another off color comment when the pilot beckons him to the cockpit over the intercom. The Brit rolls his blue eyes and sets his glass down none too gently. "I'll only be a minute, you two," he tells them before leaving.

Gabriel's eyes follow Adam's retreating form the way a lion might eye a zebra- seemingly uninterested until it was close enough to be a problem. Or if the lion were hungry. It's not until the door has shut that Gabriel says anything.

"How can you go ahead and let him touch you like that?"

Elle blinks, surprise on her face. Adam was always kind of handsy with her. This is normal behavior between the two of them. "It's how we always act," she explains.

"I don't like it," Gabriel says bluntly. "I don't like how he talks to you, I don't like how he touches you, and I certainly don't like how he acts like I'm not here." As he continues, he talks lower. The quieter he becomes, the more dangerous he sounds. "He thinks I don't matter? That _I'm_ insignificant?" His hands grip the fabric of Elle's shirt tightly.

"He's never said that," Elle intones evenly, trying to calm the beast in her lover.

"He's implied it," Gabriel spits. "The same way he's implied that you two-"

Elle struggles her way out of Gabriel's awkward hold. She wonders minutely if she would have been as successful, were his hands not cuffed. "Adam and I have never, _ever_ slept together. I can't even bring myself to think of him in that way. He's like family to me."

"Yeah, the creepy uncle that makes you promise not to tell your mom-"

"Gabriel," Elle cuts him off.

Gabriel's intense brown eyes study Elle's stern face. She must really be serious if she isn't calling him 'Daddy'. He says nothing, just watches her. Her eyes plead with him to believe her.

"I've never slept with Adam," Elle says, all honesty. "I promise."

"Okay," is all the response she gets from him.

She knows he doesn't believe her, but she can't bring herself to pick a fight. It's been a long day and she's far too tired. She rubs at her eyes and stretches a little. "I think I'm gonna go try to sleep a little bit," she tells Gabriel. She tilts her seat all the way back and rolls onto her side, facing away from him.

Gabriel strokes her soft hair but says nothing. When Elle falls asleep, he heads to the cockpit to find Adam, sipping scotch with the pilot. The blond man pretends not to see Gabriel for a few seconds, until Gabriel says something.

"Elle's asleep." He wants to keep it all business with Adam. It's bad enough he has to be in the same room with the lecherous bastard. He watches the pilot finish his glass before setting it on the console. "Should he be drinking?"

Adam lazily sips on his drink before bothering to answer Gabriel. "Oh, 'e's fine. Drinks all the bloody time. You know pilots."

Gabriel shakes his head. He doesn't know pilots. "So what are you drinking?"

Adam holds the bottle up. "Johnnie Blue. Fancy a drink?"

Gabriel shrugs, accepting Adam's challenge. "Sure." He sits opposite Adam and takes the glass he's offered. "Johnnie Walker. Good man."

Adam nods as he pours himself another glass. "So 'ow did you meet our little Elle-Belle, Zane?"

Gabriel decides to be honest. "Catered a party her dad was throwing a while back." He takes a sip of the scotch and represses a shudder. Gabriel was always a beer guy.

Adam laughs, nostalgic. He rubs his scruffy chin and tells Gabriel "Yeah, old Bob really liked the social scene. Such a pity old man's gone now."

"You were close?" Gabriel asks.

"Aye. Bob was a bit of a business associate, but more on the obligation side of things. Still a good guy though." Adam pauses to swallow a third of his glass's contents. "Good and rich."

"You worked for him?" Gabriel's curiosity is piqued.

"Worked for a frien' 'o Bob's. I was on staff mostly to keep an eye on ol' Bob and make sure 'e was keepin' top the terms of some contract 'e 'ad wif me boss." Adam shares. He takes another big swallow. "Tha's 'ow I met sweet Elle."

Gabriel's grip on his glass tightens slightly. "So you and Elle are pretty close for such a big age difference. Good friends?"

Adam waggles his eyebrows at Gabriel. "Close ain' th'word, mate. You could say I know our little Elle-Belle _inside_ an' out."

Gabriel knew it. Elle had lied to him. "Were you guys in love, or was it more like a-"

"Elle never knew, I don' think. She was usually too out of it. I always made sure to wait a while after giving her 'the medicine' I 'ad on me."

Gabriel decides Adam wants to die tonight. "Medicine?"

"Don' tell me y'never 'eard of roofies, Zane." Adam slurs.

"Never used them, but I know what they are," Gabriel says. "I'm sorry, what part of England did you say you were from again?" He watches the pilot's eyes dart from Adam, then back to the controls.

Adam sighs and sets his glass down. "Ahh, you've got me," he admits, faux British accent completely gone. He folds his arms across his chest and eyes Gabriel with suspicion. "So who are you working for, anyway? Mom or Dad?"

Gabriel stands up, pilot forgotten. He's not sure what Adam means by 'Mom or Dad', but he tries not to let it show. "I work for myself." He towers over Adam's seated form, a formidable expression on his face. Gabriel leans over slightly and quietly tells Adam, "And if you touch Elle again, it'll be the last thing you ever do."

Adam stands as well and pushes himself past Gabriel and out of the cockpit. He hears Gabriel follow him through the main cabin of the small plane and into the back where the cargo is kept. When Adam turns around to face Gabriel, he has a small box cutter in his hand.

"Do you think I'm scared of you?" Adam taunts. "Some unshaven, insignificant P.I.? You don't even matter."

Gabriel smirks, knowing Adam has him figured all wrong. "Well, I tried my best," he falsely admits. "When Elle hired me, she wanted me to find her father's killer."

Adam studies the cuffs on Gabriel's hands. He's suddenly sure that those cuffs weren't the result of a sexual escapade gone awry. He's also pretty sure this Zane character is more than he seems. His grip tightens on the box cutter. "Are you trying to pin Bob's death on me?"

"Someone in this room did it," Gabriel says, looking around the cargo room, then back to Adam.

Adam backs himself against the crates. He mentally berates himself for putting Gabriel between himself and the only door out of the room. The thin air makes him have to breathe a little harder, be a little desperate. "You killed Bob," Adam realizes. "Why?"

Gabriel stands by the lone exit, his eyes on Adam. He locks the door and slowly advances on the other man. "That's really a good question," Gabriel ponders as he corners Adam. "So many good answers for it, too."

Adam uses this chance of bizarre, super-villainesque ego stroking as his chance to swipe the box cutter across Gabriel's torso. His eyes fix on Gabriel's shirt, expecting a crimson stain to rip its way across Gabriel's chest, but it never happens.

Instead, Adam hears Gabriel laugh with amusement. "You've never worked a real job a day in your life have you, Adam?" Gabriel violently snatches the box cutter out of Adam's sweat-slicked hands. "To use this correctly," Gabriel demonstrates, his thumb sliding the plastic notch up to produce a blade from the thin sleeve of the tool, "you really need to be prepared to get your hands dirty."

Adam shuts his eyes tight and waits for the feeling of the razor to open him up, but the moment never comes. When he hears the dull clatter of plastic hitting the cargo room floor, his eyes open. He sees Gabriel unarmed, studying him. Relief washes over Adam and he manages to even laugh a little. "You really had me going for a second, Zane. I thought you were going to cut me."

Gabriel laughs a little, too. "Cut you? And leave a huge mess?"

Before Adam realizes it, Gabriel slams his body into his, sending both men crashing to the floor. Adam lay sprawled out, Gabriel kneeling over him. Adam tries to get himself out from under Gabriel, but the struggle only seems to give Gabriel more of an advantage. Gabriel uses the force of his weight to rest his knees on Adam's forearms, causing the other man to cry out in pain.

Leaning over Adam, Gabriel holds the small chain connecting his handcuffs against Adam's throat. Without any warning, Gabriel settles all the weight of his torso onto the other man's neck. He watches Adam squirm helplessly beneath him.

Gabriel can't suppress the sinister ear-to-ear grin traveling across his face. He pushes the chain linking his cuffs tighter against Adam's throat. The blond man's face deepens in color, almost a purplish shade. "Who doesn't matter now, Munroe?" Gabriel whispers against Adam's ear. "Who's the insignificant one?"

Adam's long legs kick out uselessly. With Gabriel's knees digging into his forearms it's impossible to reach up and push him off. As his oxygen supply further cuts off, Adam's vision grows darker. He barely hears Gabriel's gloating; he's too busy fighting to stay conscious.

"He'll find you-" Adam chokes out. "Petrelli, he'll…"

"I hope he does," Gabriel says, further pressing the chain into Adam's neck. "And _when_ he does, I'll kill him too."

Gabriel feels Adam struggle for a few more seconds before the other man's flailing ceases. Gabriel removes himself from Adam's body and checks to see if he's breathing. Satisfied when he hears no oxygen filling Adam's lungs, Gabriel stands up and heads over to the exit door. He unlocks it carefully and casts Adam's body one last glance. Still dead. He shuts the door and goes back into the main cabin to Elle's still sleeping form.


	7. Serious, permanent damage

Elle wakes up when she hears a door slamming. She sits up and stretches her arms overhead. Sleeping curled up in the seat wasn't the most comfortable position, and now her body is voicing its complaints.

Adam and Gabriel aren't anywhere to be seen. She briefly laughs at the possibility of the two of them having a drink together. She's sure Gabriel would sooner kill Adam than share a drink with him.

"Gabriel?" Elle calls out. He couldn't have gone far. They're on a plane for God's sake.

When he doesn't answer, she gets up to investigate. She pokes her head in the cockpit, only to find the pilot by himself. He turns around to say hello to her, but she brushes him off and slams the door a little harder than she probably intends.

"Adam?" Elle chances a response. Still nothing. "Look, I don't know what you two are trying to pull, but if you're trying to scare me, you better knock it off."

She bends herself over the small bar in the lounge area of the small plane, but finds no one. "This isn't cute, guys-" she starts to say, but screams instead when a pair of large hands close around her mid section.

"Elle," A familiar voice says quietly. "It's just me, kid."

She relaxes almost as suddenly as she panicked. "Oh God, Gabriel," she breathes. "You scared the shit out of me." She turns around to face him and hugs him hard. "Don't ever do that again, you jerk."

He half-laughs. "Sorry."

Elle curls her small body around Gabriel's. "You should be," she jokes. She can't stay mad at him. "Hey, where's Adam?"

"He's no longer with us," Gabriel says lightly, as if he's talking about the weather.

Elle takes a step away from Gabriel, eyes wide. "You're joking, right?"

"I'm quite serious."

"Why?" Elle shouts. "He was my friend!"

"He was an asshole," Gabriel tries to explain. "He told me he worked for someone your Dad owed a big favor to. He was blackmailing your father while he was drugging and raping you."

Maybe Adam could be kind of a dick, Elle would give Gabriel that, but she never remembered being raped. That's a kind of thing a girl doesn't just up and forget about.

"You're crazy, you know that?" Elle screams. "I can't believe you'd do this and then lie to me on top of it!"

"Elle, you're being-"

"Stay away from me!" Elle puts the bar between them. Tears streak down her face, her eyes wild. She grabs the tiny knife on the bar's garnishing station and points it purposefully at Gabriel. "You've gotten to everyone I've ever cared about, I'll be God damned if you get to me, too."

"You're not even making sense," Gabriel says calmly. "Why don't you put the knife down?"

"Not a chance," Elle says coldly. "The second this plane hits the ground, I'm going straight to the police. You're not going to control me anymore."

"I never tried to control you, kid. Just come here and we can-"

Elle laughs bitterly. "It's not going to work anymore, Gabriel. You can't just kiss me and make it better. You're killing people! People I care about! It's not the kind of thing that goes away or just blows over after a few days. This is serious, permanent damage you're doing and I don't think I can be a part of it anymore."

"Is this how you want it?" Gabriel asks, expression unreadable.

"I don't want you," Elle chokes out. "You killed my would be step-mom, my Daddy, and my best friend. You make me stay in shitty hotels and eat bad food. I've worn this dress for three days! You've taken everything away from me without even thinking how it would affect me."

"I was doing it for us," Gabriel explains. "You couldn't see that? I was trying to build us a life together. I love you, Elle."

"You're a serial killer! You might have obsessions, but you don't _love_ anything." Elle spits.

Gabriel blinks hard, hurt by Elle's words. "You don't mean that. "

"Haven't you ever heard of Stockholm Syndrome?" Elle asks him. She sets the knife on the bar and runs a hand through her sweaty, gnarled hair. She's pretty sure she looks like shit right now, but that can be taken care of later. "I was empathizing with you. Happens to kidnapped people all the time."

"I didn't kidnap you, you're being dramatic." Gabriel argues. He chooses to leave out that he _tried_ kidnapping her, knowing it won't help his case.

"You kill my friend for acting flirty and then you lie about why you did it, and _I'm_ the dramatic one? Can you _hear_ yourself?" Elle laughs a little. "You are some damaged goods, you know that?"

Gabriel, at a loss, says the only thing he knows to fix things. "If it makes you change your mind about me, I'll stop."

"Stop what?" Elle asks. She places her hands on the bar counter and glares at him.

"Killing people," he tells her. "I'll stop it if you'll change your mind."

Elle folds her arms across her chest and studies the murderer across the room. She hates that things have gotten this far, simply because she required attention. "Gabriel. People like you never change. There's no Serial Killer Rehab."

Gabriel sighs and sinks into his seat as the pilot announces that they'll be landing the plane. "Please come sit," he asks, buckling his seat belt.

Elle continues to glare at Gabriel, her arms folded. When the plane hits a bump of turbulence, she stumbles a little bit. She misses the look of amusement on Gabriel's face as she rights herself and sits across from him in Adam's old seat. She looks out the window, ignoring him.

He tries to think of ways to lighten her mood. Compliments always go a long way, so he tries that first. "You're very cute when you're mad, little girl."

Elle hazards a glimpse in her peripheral vision at him while the corner of her mouth turns up slightly before she remembers she's mad at him. "I'm even cuter when you're not killing my friends," she says icily. She quickly turns back to the window, bangs falling over her eyes.

"Friends don't take advantage of you," Gabriel says.

"So I guess you and I aren't friends then either, are we?" Elle asks; her eyes fixed on her reflection. Oh God if she looks down, she's going to lose it. Fucking planes.

"I'm not taking advantage of you. I never have," Gabriel insists.

"Scaring me out of my cabin so I'd shack up with you isn't taking advantage? Killing my Daddy so I'd have no one to protect me from you isn't taking advantage? Making me an accessory to a murder isn't taking advantage, Gabriel?" Elle's face is flushed and tears spill from her eyes. "Please tell me what your definition of 'taking advantage' consists of, because I'd love to hear it!"

He hates that she's right. He hates even more that he's just as monstrous in her eyes as Adam was in his.

They ride in silence until the plane lands.


End file.
